Ideally, a cutting apparatus employing an endless band type blade must have the following features. First, the band blade must be able to be driven at a high speed with a high torque. Second, the band blade must be able to be stopped instantaneously upon the contact of part of the human body with the band blade. Third, the band blade must be able to be stopped reliably at any time.
Cutting apparatus heretofore widely used is not equipped with means for stopping the band blade upon the detection of contact of the human body with the band blade, but rather are merely provided with a casing for covering part of the band blade some distance above a table for supporting the workpiece. Since the casing does not cover the blade at the position immediately above the table where the finger, hand or like part of the operator is most liable to contact the band blade when the workpiece is being cut as it is pushed toward the band blade, the body part sometimes inadvertently contacts the band blade which is being driven at a high speed and is thereby cut very quickly. Thus, the conventional apparatus is very dangerous to operate.